Billed as the "daredevil aviator", Al Wilson was handsome enough to be a leading man but he had been passionate about flying since he was a kid. He managed the Mercury Aviation Company, founded by one of his students, Cecil B. De Mille, and he started producing his own movies until 1927. After completing stunts for "Hell's Angels" he died in 1932 at an air show in Ohio.
"Won in the Clouds" seems to run like a cut down serial, there are plenty of cliff hanger endings some of which are not resolved. Still there are a few hair raising stunts including a particularly dangerous one that had already claimed the lives of some stunt men in the past. This was a specialty of Wilson's and involved climbing down a rope ladder from a flying plane then scooping up the person on the ground who was facing an uncertain future at the hands of some angry natives. Another scarifying stunt had Wilson straddling the roof of a car while he again grapples with a rickety ladder attached to a high flying plane!!!
The story is actually set in Africa where the manager of the Consolidated Diamond Mines is trying to hold up shipment while he organises his own speedy get away - with all the diamonds of course!! To gum up proceedings, along comes Dr. James who is on a double mission - to check up on manager Woods and also to see if he can give any aid to the natives who are dying of a mysterious illness. With him is his daughter Grace (Helen Foster) but it doesn't take long for them to be separated - he to be held hostage with the old "if you don't cure the village people you will die"!! etc. Grace is imprisoned in a remote shack - "I'll do all I can for you Grace - if you are kind to me!!!"
Smelling a rat the mine president sends his son Art Blake (Wilson) to investigate and now stunts and fancy riding take centre stage to the story. By the end even dim witted Grace realises that Woods is a villain of the worst kind and her father has won the natives over with instantaneous results of his "Castor Oil" serum!!
Helen Foster had her busiest year in 1929 - she was named a Wampas Baby star, was given the lead in the prestigious "Linda" and also had a starring part in "Gold Diggers of Broadway" - unfortunately after that it was all down hill for Helen!!
"Won in the Clouds" seems to run like a cut down serial, there are plenty of cliff hanger endings some of which are not resolved. Still there are a few hair raising stunts including a particularly dangerous one that had already claimed the lives of some stunt men in the past. This was a specialty of Wilson's and involved climbing down a rope ladder from a flying plane then scooping up the person on the ground who was facing an uncertain future at the hands of some angry natives. Another scarifying stunt had Wilson straddling the roof of a car while he again grapples with a rickety ladder attached to a high flying plane!!!
The story is actually set in Africa where the manager of the Consolidated Diamond Mines is trying to hold up shipment while he organises his own speedy get away - with all the diamonds of course!! To gum up proceedings, along comes Dr. James who is on a double mission - to check up on manager Woods and also to see if he can give any aid to the natives who are dying of a mysterious illness. With him is his daughter Grace (Helen Foster) but it doesn't take long for them to be separated - he to be held hostage with the old "if you don't cure the village people you will die"!! etc. Grace is imprisoned in a remote shack - "I'll do all I can for you Grace - if you are kind to me!!!"
Smelling a rat the mine president sends his son Art Blake (Wilson) to investigate and now stunts and fancy riding take centre stage to the story. By the end even dim witted Grace realises that Woods is a villain of the worst kind and her father has won the natives over with instantaneous results of his "Castor Oil" serum!!
Helen Foster had her busiest year in 1929 - she was named a Wampas Baby star, was given the lead in the prestigious "Linda" and also had a starring part in "Gold Diggers of Broadway" - unfortunately after that it was all down hill for Helen!!